M2 VS M2 Competition VS M3(e46) VS M4 Review

[Moe]

Its a great write-up peter. I have never driven the M2 comp but you see now why I would not have bought the vanilla M2. I drove one and it just was not M car enough. BMW seem to have agreed, and basically but a m4 into the m2 body for the comp. As I said the M2 comp may be the best of both worlds, however the lack of HUD, the poor choice of colours exterior and interior (for my gaudy tastes), and lack of adaptive suspension is a shame. On a long motorway trip where you dont want to "drive" its nice to have a soft setting. And on those roads a hard "sports plus" is nice for control and to limit rebound over bumps and keep the traction. I have some styling issues with the m2, and the packaging is a bit dinky to be my primary motor.

We were all really pushing on those roads, and all the cars were well able to keep up. The e46 is rewarding because it takes effort (my hands were very sweaty trying to keep with the pack in the e46). The M4 (and I assume the M2 comp) are effortlessly fast and corner and brake so well. I found the f10 M5 the hardest to get to speed because the mass feels like its inertia will make you crash.

Dont every underestimate tyres on all these. The m2 comp is on PS4;s, all the m4 were on PSS, the e46 was on Khumo Ecsta. Tyres are IMHO the biggest difference in the handling of a car. The e46 on Cup2's is (on a hot day) unstickable. A m4 on PS4's would be different too (the M$ cs is on them)., I do feel that BMW with all their editions are basically messing with software and tyres at this point.
The reason they make so many models is because we all have different tastes, but for me looking at my cars, the only that has the price to performance win by miles is the e46 m3. Only problem is they are getting too rare (ones in good nick anyway) and collectable to drive as they should be driven. I think the e92 m3 is also a mighty car, except that it was made at the same time as BMW were making very unreliable cars, they are a bargain at the moment too.

Life is too short to drive crappy cars. Peter is a gentleman and totally trustworthy, although I did sweat a bit when you were in the lead in the M4 and caining it.

[Peter-E36]

Its a great write-up peter. I have never driven the M2 comp but you see now why I would not have bought the vanilla M2. I drove one and it just was not M car enough. BMW seem to have agreed, and basically but a m4 into the m2 body for the comp. As I said the M2 comp may be the best of both worlds, however the lack of HUD, the poor choice of colours exterior and interior (for my gaudy tastes), and lack of adaptive suspension is a shame. On a long motorway trip where you dont want to "drive" its nice to have a soft setting. And on those roads a hard "sports plus" is nice for control and to limit rebound over bumps and keep the traction. I have some styling issues with the m2, and the packaging is a bit dinky to be my primary motor.

We were all really pushing on those roads, and all the cars were well able to keep up. The e46 is rewarding because it takes effort (my hands were very sweaty trying to keep with the pack in the e46). The M4 (and I assume the M2 comp) are effortlessly fast and corner and brake so well. I found the f10 M5 the hardest to get to speed because the mass feels like its inertia will make you crash.

Dont every underestimate tyres on all these. The m2 comp is on PS4;s, all the m4 were on PSS, the e46 was on Khumo Ecsta. Tyres are IMHO the biggest difference in the handling of a car. The e46 on Cup2's is (on a hot day) unstickable. A m4 on PS4's would be different too (the M$ cs is on them)., I do feel that BMW with all their editions are basically messing with software and tyres at this point.
The reason they make so many models is because we all have different tastes, but for me looking at my cars, the only that has the price to performance win by miles is the e46 m3. Only problem is they are getting too rare (ones in good nick anyway) and collectable to drive as they should be driven. I think the e92 m3 is also a mighty car, except that it was made at the same time as BMW were making very unreliable cars, they are a bargain at the moment too.

Life is too short to drive crappy cars. Peter is a gentleman and totally trustworthy, although I did sweat a bit when you were in the lead in the M4 and caining it.

Cheers Moe, much appreciated!

Agree re: tyres, pretty sure the BMW First M2 Comp was on MPSS and while they were great on a dry sunny afternoon - on wet, cold, grimey roads there was no grip to speak of. The car was spinning up every time I went anywhere near the throttle... I was going nowhere fast but god, it was fun! and it never got old

I really need to get into an e92 asap!

Thanks again Moe, really appreciate the extended drives and really helpful to compare the cars. I suppose it wouldn't be a proper test if I didn't make you sweat a little...

[Dave]

Cheers Moe, much appreciated!

Agree re: tyres, pretty sure the BMW First M2 Comp was on MPSS and while they were great on a dry sunny afternoon - on wet, cold, grimey roads there was no grip to speak of. The car was spinning up every time I went anywhere near the throttle... I was going nowhere fast but god, it was fun! and it never got old

I really need to get into an e92 asap!

Thanks again Moe, really appreciate the extended drives and really helpful to compare the cars. I suppose it wouldn't be a proper test if I didn't make you sweat a little...

Funny you should say that about the PSS, I had them on the M5 and they were amazing, they do fall off a cliff before the tread is gone though, I used to push that car in the wet confident in the tires.

You should definitely take an E92 for a spin, the engine dominates the experience in the E92, make sure you drive a DCT too.
I can't remember where I read it but it was summed up perfectly in that the S65 is an engine Ferrari would be proud of.

Do you really think the M2 is worth dropping 100k on?

Also, give biking a go, everyone should try biking once!